Smitten, Bitten
by Sy Itha
Summary: Diana has saved Tamriel from Alduin. Suddenly without a purpose, she settles into the role as Companion Harbinger... until the Dawnguard summon her. She joins the vampire hunters reluctantly. But how will her new allegience sway when she falls for the beautiful vampire Serana? F!Dragonborn/Serana
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Sorry, ME fans! I just had to write this. Any of y'all who have played Dawnguard know the absolute, incredibly painful frustration that comes coupled with the inability to marry Serana, to which my brother cried out dramatically, "BRO-ZONED!" Well, I say screw that because I have fanfiction. I tried to write it so anyone could read it, even if you aren't entirely familiar with Dawnguard. And yes, all my gaming characters are named after the goddess of the hunt. Warning: there will be naughty things involving two women later on.

Chapter One

Diana knew the scroll was trouble the second Aela dropped it on the table. She glanced at it quickly, noting the sun emblem wax seal. No doubt, it contained a request for help. She turned her gaze back to the book open on the table. In truth, she had no idea what she was reading. She had just needed something to stare at so the others did not question her. When Aela did not do anything, she asked, "Who delivered that?"

Aela took a seat at the table. "A recruiter showed up with it," she said. Diana glanced up at Aela, noting her wild mane of red hair and serious expression. The Companion's angular face did nothing to abate the "wolfish" rumors surrounding those of the inner circle. Aela always looked the predator.

Diana shrugged and turned a page in the book. "So assign the job."

"They requested it reach your hands."

She risked another glance. Her friend showed no sign of letting this go. "It has reached them." She held up her palms, smiling at the poor humor. Aela did not smile back. She lowered her hands. "Very well." She closed the book. "What else is it?"

"He requested an audience with the Harbinger of the Companions."

"Isn't that you?" she teased.

"Diana..." A hint of a growl penetrated Aela's voice.

"Fine. Fine. Show him in. Who does he represent, again?"

Aela stood and readjusted her armor. "He said he hailed from Fort Dawnguard." She turned and walked up the stairs to the main floor. Diana sat up straighter in her chair and smoothed out her clothes. She wore only a simple tunic and trousers for the day, something easy to lounge in. It astonished some of the other Companions. They were not used to the vulnerable sight of their unofficial leader. None dared mention it to her, though. Everyone had put her on a pedestal since the defeat of Alduin. Talos help the poor soul who spoke against her.

Diana was pulled from her thoughts as she heard voices from upstairs, mainly one unfamiliar voice, a man jabbering away about how thankful he was to be provided such an audience. Diana grinned when she heard Aela whisper the standard warning against hero worship. There was someone she could count on. "Harbinger." Aela stepped into the basement hall, standing guard at the doorway. "Durak of the Dawnguard." She stepped aside and a tall orc walked through the doorway. He had to step to the side to avoid a low-hanging metal chandelier.

"Dragonborn," he said. "It is an honor."

Diana tried not to wince at the title. Instead, she redirected, "The honor is mine, Durak." She gestured to a chair. "Be seated. It is not every day we host guests in the halls of Jorrvaskr."

Durak seated himself stiffly. He looked down at the unopened scroll. "You have not read the missive, then?"

"Why would I when I have you to inform me?" Diana drummed her fingers on the table.

The orc grabbed the scroll and broke the wax seal, unfurling it. "This is an invitation for the Companions to assist the troops at Dawnguard in an upcoming fight." He showed Diana the neatly formed lettering. A small map was scrawled at the bottom.

Diana shrugged. "So hire out the men. I am no leader, only an advisor." She felt a little annoyed at the hesitant manner the orc treated her with. To be fair, he acted more normal than most people who met her for the first time. At least he did not wax poetic about the "great debt" Skyrim owed.

"I would gladly do so," said Durak. "A fighter is a fighter. I mean no disrespect, ma'am, but anyone can swing a sword as deadly as the next person. Experience, on the other hand, is another story."

Diana liked the orc a bit more. "And you're not the most experienced of the Dawnguard, I take it?"

The orc shook his head. "I take my orders from a man named Isran. He has rebuilt Fort Dawnguard and reestablished the ancient order of vampire hunters. As soon as he started recruiting, vampires attacked a series of locations across the holds of Hjaalmarch and the Pale, often causing civilian casualties."

Diana nodded. "I see your need for concern, but why has Isran directed you to me and not the armies of the respective holds?"

Durak cleared his throat. "I thought the Harbinger of the Companions would know firsthand that the petty war between the Empire and Ulfric Stormcloak has diverted all troops. Isran asked I seek you out personally."

"Why?" asked Diana. "I killed dragons, not vampires."

It was Durak's turn to shrug. "Isran must think you will have an easier time killing vampires than you did dragons. I would think killing those beasts equaled a larger challenge."

The orc's words made sense. Diana really had no excuse to avoid helping the Dawnguard other than she rather enjoyed the idea of settling into Jorrvaskr for a few weeks. She had been gone from Whiterun for too long. Her brief visit to Dragonsreach did not count, and she had spent weeks wandering the frostbitten lands after she slew Alduin. What was a dragonborn to do without the imminent threat of dragons? Esbern refused to allow her back into the Blades halls until she dealt with Parathunax, and the Greybeards were always so off-putting. In the end, she had found stability in the mead hall and headquarters of the Companions, Skyrim's top warrior's guild. "They are indeed a threat," Diana said. She was impressed that the orc had sat so still through her long musing. "And this Isran insists I personally come?"

Durak nodded. "He said he wanted a small force of elite warriors. Something about attracting less attention."

"Sound logic." Diana drummed her fingers on the table again. She wondered what the others would think if she refused. Would someone attempt to overthrow her as Harbinger? Not that any of them could, except Aela or Vilkas. "Return to your master," she said. "I will arrive at Fort Dawnguard in a week, or not at all."

The orc stood and crossed his arms. "That is no answer."

"It's the best one you'll get." She grabbed the scroll and rolled it up.

Durak took a step forward, but Aela was at his side in an instant, holding his arm steady. "The Harbinger has spoken," she said. "I will escort you out."

He glared at Aela, then back down at Diana. She waited while he stood there expecting something to happen. Finally, his shoulders sagged and he sighed. "Very well," he muttered. "But don't think we will leave you be if you choose to hide here."

Aela gave a sharp tug on his arm and led him from the room. Diana remained seated for a moment, staring at the floorboards rather than a book. She ran her fingers through her short brown hair and stood up. Her private quarters would offer more privacy than then hallway, and Aela would still be able to find her. She shut the door behind herself and observed the sparse room.

Trophies from her accomplishments accounted for most of the decoration. Her weapons and armor lay in a heap in one corner while an overstuffed trunk lay in the next. She happened upon too many dangerous items in her travels, too many daedric artifacts or ancient dwemer technology that she could not simply sell off to the highest bidder. So she kept it all locked away instead. She walked over to a small vanity and studied herself in the bronze mirror. Her light blue eyes stared back. A scar ran from her right cheek to her jawbone, puckering the pale skin around itself. She had narrowly missed having her throat cut a few years ago while travelling in Cyrodill.

She had been born to Nord parents who traveled as merchants. Even during the great war, they had insisted on keeping up the trade with the lower provinces. It had earned them a profit for a while, and Diana had become a very adept warrior amidst the chaos, but their luck ran out soon enough. Diana had returned to Skyrim alone and unsure of what to do. She smirked as she thought back to her capture along the border. If the imperials had not tried to execute her, where would she have gone?

She turned away from her reflection and walked over to the bed. She sat down and began removing her jewelry. She did not wear much. Just a necklace and a ring. She slipped the amulet of Talos in her bedside drawer and twisted off Hircine's ring. She held the silver band up to the firelight and studied it closely. The snarling face of a wolf lay engraved in the material, a generous gift from the daedric prince. She sighed and deposited it in the drawer as well. Another change that had occurred since her return to Skyrim.

When Aela and Skjor had first offered her the beastblood, she had not thought for long on the consequences. She had rather enjoyed the new power. Being a werewolf suited her for the most part. After the first moon cycle, she started to pick up on the actual differences besides her newfound ability to transform.

Her hearing had improved, for one. She picked up conversations from an eerie distance away. She found herself restless more and more often, as if the wolf in her constantly prowled, never satisfied by any amount of food, drink, or women. She had taken on more tasks to distract herself. That was when she really started to rise through the ranks. She had surpassed everyone in her journey to help Kodlak. The old Harbinger had wanted a release from the beastblood. In the end, they found a cure. Before his soul journeyed to Sovngard, he named Diana new Harbinger of the Companions.

And so Diana found herself in the mead hall of Jorrvaskr, assisting Aela and Vilkas in running the Companions. She still fought with her restlessness. It felt like a void within her, something that no amount of adventuring would fulfill. No matter how much purpose she gave herself, no matter how many responsibilities she undertook, the feeling never vanished.

The door to her bedroom creaked and Diana looked up. Aela stepped inside and shut it behind herself. The warrior studied her with a confused expression. "You should go, you know."

Diana sighed and lean forward, pressing her forehead into her hands. "Do we really need to talk about this now?" she asked.

"Yes." Aela walked over to her and stood just a few feet away. "You work hard here," she said. "You train the whelps. You manage the jobs." Diana dropped her hands and rested her forearms rest on her knees. She looked away from Aela. "Someone in your position would seek out more, usually." Aela took a step forward. Diana inhaled and caught the woman's scent. "You have found a routine, a home, loved ones."

"Is that not enough?" Diana growled.

"It would be if you acted like it was."

"And how exactly do I act?" She glared up at the woman, challenging her. Instead, Aela took a seat next to her.

"You act as though you are searching for something. You're restless."

"That's one way to put it." Her hands twitched. She could not remain sitting like this next to Aela. On a bed. As much as she and her were just friends, a few incidents had slipped between the two of them when the moon had been more waxing than waning. Neither of them took pride in it. The gift of their blood only remained one if they kept control over it.

Aela shifted next to her. She wondered if the woman was giving in. "You should go, Diana," she repeated. "Some time away would be good for you." Diana noted the implied _and me_ at the end of the sentence.

"Is my presence really so taxing?" she asked.

Aela took in a deep breath. "You don't wish to mate with me. I wish to find a mate."

Diana shrugged. "So, we have mated before," she said.

Aela shook her head and stood up. "Mating is for life, Diana." She fixed her with a sad stare. "You don't want that with me."

And she could not find the words to disagree as her friend walked out of her room and slammed the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** To state the obvious, this story contains spoilers for Dawnguard. There. Have fun reading, now.

Chapter Two

Fort Dawnguard rested on the edge of the world, or it felt like it after Diana emerged from the pass. Any farther south, and she would cross into Cyrodill. The tunnel had opened out into a valley surrounded by high-reaching peaks. Birch trees dominated the landscape, and Diana thought she heard the roar of a waterfall in the distance. She shook her head and pulled out the letter. The map indicated a path would lie just ahead. She refolded it and stored it back in her pack, taking a deep breath. It was better to be out in the fresh air, at least. Caves were so stifling, especially when traveling in a full suite of armor.

She took off down the slope into dayspring canyon. As she walked along, she discovered that not only one waterfall lay ahead, but a whole cliff-face of them. The scene would have been beautiful if it were not for the reason she traveled there. Not too far from the waterfalls, the footpath started up. A young man stood at the end of the road, looking around nervously. He started down one fork in the path, then stopped and backed up. Diana shook her head. "You lost?" she cried out.

The man jumped and looked up. "Oh, hey there," he said. "You here to join the Dawnguard too?"

She nodded and pointed down the correct path. "That's where they are, in case you're wondering." She set off and the man followed.

"Truth is, I'm a little nervous." He looked down at her dragonbone sword. "I've never done anything like this before." Diana had to hold back a chuckle. The boy could not be more green. Not only did he lack armor, his sole weapon was a woodcutter's axe hanging from his belt, most likely taken from the farm he had just fled. "I hope you don't mind if I walk up with you." Diana shrugged in response. She doubted the boy would change his actions no matter her answer. He looked around, craning his neck for a glance at the fort. "My name is Agmaer, by the way."

"Diana," she replied.

The boy still looked jumpy as they walked. He kept glancing into the trees and staring off into the brush as if a vampire might leap out of hiding. "Hey, uh, don't tell Isran I was afraid to meet him by myself," he said. "Not the best first impression for a new vampire hunter, I guess."

Diana frowned and picked up her pace a little. The boy's naive attitude did not sit well with her. Durak had said they were recruiting elite warriors, not farmer's hands. "I think this Isran would respect you more for admitting your fears."

"Oh." The boy fell silent, and for a moment Diana hoped that it would remain that way. "You've probably killed lots of vampires, huh?"

Diana smiled despite her irritation. "No, actually." She had rarely encountered them, and when she did, she found starved, feral creatures or cultist followings. Still, she did not enjoy the mindset "vampire hunter" this Isran was cultivating. It encouraged people to look down upon all of those touched by daedric magic, such as the werewolves of the Companions.

The boy plowed on in the conversation. "Well, I'm sure Isran will sign you right up. Not sure he'll take me. I hope so."

Diana did not respond to this, and thankfully the boy stayed quiet. Then, they rounded one last corner and the cliffs fell away to reveal a towering fortress, larger than any Diana had seen in all of Skyrim. The multiple keeps rose above the surrounding pines, dwarfing even some of the mountain peaks. It was possibly larger than Dragonsreach. She whistled.

The boy laughed. "It's bigger than I expected too," he said.

"I wonder if they're serious about this whole vampire killing." Diana noted the defensible positions and courtyard walls. Anything that tried to enter the canyon would have to make its way through a volley of arrows first.

As they traveled up the path, Diana expected to see recruits like Agmaer camped out by the dozens, but there were none. _Perhaps Isran really is selectively recruiting,_ she thought.

The boy kicked at a loose rock along the path. "This place looks deserted."

They walked farther along the path and Diana saw someone standing at the archery range. The orc, Durak, lowered his crossbow and turned to watch them. "They're here," Diana muttered.

Beyond the archery range started the great stone walkway up to the fortress entrance. As they mounted the first steps, Agmaer said, "I guess this is it. Wish me luck."

Diana smiled. The boy would need more than luck, but she did not fault him for trying. It took bravery to barge into an order of vampire hunters with no training. Her distant manner only acted to misplace her worry for the boy. He would end up dead, more than likely. Part of the reason Diana worked so hard with the Companions was to make sure young men and women with no training could stay home. Her efforts were of little use when they put themselves at risk anyways.

A sentry waited at the top of the stairs. He nodded at them and called out, "New recruits?"

Diana shook her head and pulled the letter from her pouch. "I was requested," she said.

The man raised his brow. "Harbinger," he said. The boy glanced at her with widened eyes. "Please, Isran awaits you inside."

As Diana tugged at the large, oak door, the boy scrambled to help her. "Harbinger," he said. "I am so sorry. I should have been more respectful. Please forgive me for-"

"Can we please pretend you never heard that?" Diana asked. The boy might have replied, but two people argued inside the keep. Diana shut the door as quietly as she could and stood at the sidelines. The two men took no notice of them as they yelled at one another.

A Vigilant of Stendarr stood in the center of a circular, sun-flooded hall. He spoke with another man - Isran, he called him - retelling of a loss inflicted by the vampires. It sounded like petty bickering until the Vigilant said, "They're all dead, Isran. The hall destroyed. You were right and we were wrong. Is that not enough?"

This declaration caught Diana's attention. If the Vigilants of Stendarr had been wiped out, the vampires were a far greater threat than she imagined. "I never wanted any of this to happen," said Isran. _Such comforting words._ She did not imagine she would get along with this Isran. Without so much as a clap on the shoulder, Isran walked away from the vigilant and right up to Diana. "So who are you?" he asked. "What do you want?"

She studied the man for a moment. He was a tall redguard, bald save for the large beard he sported. He carried himself like a warrior. "I am answering your summons." She tossed the letter at him. Isran did not bother to unfold it.

"So, the proud Harbinger finally honors us with her presence. Feel like killing some vampires?" He gestured at the hall they stood in. Cobwebs hung from the walls. The tapestries were threadbare. In all honesty, the inside of the keep appeared to be in shambles. "We are hardly rebuilt as it is. I don't blame you for wanting to sit in the warmth of Jorrvaskr."

"I'm here to save lives," said Diana. She had to push down the overwhelming urge to shred the man's throat. It would be so easy. She only needed to shift. "If you can't think of a way I can do that, I'll leave."

"Would you hold for just one moment?" He furrowed his brow. "Damn it, we need someone out in the field, taking the fight to the vampires while I rebuild here. Isn't that what the Companions do?"

Diana sighed and removed her helmet. She shook out her hair. "So you had me come all the way to the Fort just to send me out again?"

Isran smiled. It made him look maniacal. "Had to see how dedicated you were." Oh, she was going to enjoy this. He turned and walked back to the center of the room where the vigilant still stood. "Tolan was telling me about a cave the vigilants tracked some vampires to. What did you call it? Dimhollow?"

The vigilant, Tolan, nodded and turned to face Diana. "That's the place," he said. "Dimhollow Crypt. Brother Adalvold was sure it held some kind of long lost vampire artifact of some kind."

Diana rolled her eyes. "How convenient."

"None of us are so sure either," said Tolan. "But there are certainly a lot of the monsters-" She tried not to flinch at the use of the word _monster._ "-hiding out in there." He pulled a folded map from his satchel and handed it to her. "This should show you the way."

"Well." Isran walked over to a crate. He picked up something, she could not exactly see what, and turned it over. "You have your orders. I'll see you upon your return from Dimhollow Crypt." Diana nodded, but before she could turn and leave, Isran tossed whatever he held at her. She caught the heavy object and realized it was a crossbow. "You'll need that," he said, then tossed her a sleeve of bolts for it. Before he could laden her with any more things, Diana left the fortress and started on her journey for Dimhollow Crypt.

At Dimhollow Crypt

Diana crouched behind the balcony railing as she listened to the vampires argue. They walked into the center of the cavern, a strange, circular platform, and talked about their next move. From what she had gathered so far, the central platform guarded a treasure, Adalvold had died rather than tell them how to operate it, and they took orders from someone named Harkon. Great.

At first, she had considered the crossbow a nuisance more than anything else, but now, perched atop a stone ledge in a dimly-lit cavern, it seemed the perfect tool for what she needed to do. The vampires had stopped talking and explored the platform. She could not have them actually get what they slaughtered a whole order of warriors for, so she intervened.

She loaded a steel bolt in the device and balanced it on the crumbling railing, targeting one of their thralls first, someone who would go down with one shot. She pulled the trigger and the bolt flew across the cavern. No sooner had it embedded itself in the target did the thrall slump over and die. She loaded another bolt.

The other vampires immediately noticed their fallen comrade and took off in search of the intruder. Diana took aim again and felled the other thrall. She shouldered the crossbow in exchange for her sword and shield and waited at the top of the ledge. The vampires would find her soon enough.

They climbed the steps, calling out taunts in an effort to bait her. It would not work. She waited until the first vampire cautiously stepped up onto the balcony. She stepped up from her hiding place and ran forward. The vampire started casting a spell, but she ran her sword through his chest before he had even conjured armor. She pushed the body away with her foot and watched it slump over the side of the railing, falling down into the cavern depths. The remaining one cried out, a female. She sprinted up the steps at Diana, firing ice spikes with both hands. Diana dodged these easily enough and brought her sword around for another cut. The vampire sidestepped at the last minute and her blade only nicked the arm. She redoubled her attack and succeeded in slicing cleanly through her midsection. The vampire died with a groan and she sheathed her blade. Time to find whatever the vampires wanted.

The central platform was extremely odd, up close. Grooves had been cut into the floor in an intricate pattern and unlit stone braziers lay fitted into it, almost like a track. She walked across the stone floor cautiously. It was a seal of some kind, but to what she could not determine. An obelisk in the middle had a depression in the top, almost like something was missing from it. Diana approached it slowly and ran a hand over it, wondering if a lever had been knocked out of place.

Pain lanced through her as a spike shot up from out of the depression, straight through her gauntlet, impaling her hand. "By the gods!" she cried out. Her blood trickled over the stone, and she nearly sank to her feet in shock, but as quickly as it had impaled her, the spike retracted. Diana felt an odd warmth radiate from her hand and she held it up to the light. The armor remained punctured, but her hand was whole again. "This is not good," she muttered. A hum resonated through the cavern and a deep, purple light shot up from the ring surrounding the central obelisk. "Really not good." The whole thing stank of necromancy.

The light flickered. It traveled along the cut grooves, hitting one of the braziers and igniting it. It continued along the path, zigzagging and hitting every brazier before returning to the central ring. The floor underneath her shifted. The sound of stone rubbing against itself resonated through the cavern, and Diana took a staggering step back and fell over as the ground sank. She waited while the chamber lowered around the central obelisk, which turned out to be a rather large pillar. When the floor finally ceased to move, she stood and approached the pillar. Whatever the vampires had been seeking, it was in there. She brought a hand up to the cool stone surface . There had to be a handle or secret lever somewhere.

The stone shifted again. The face of the pillar dropped away. Diana's eyes widened in disbelief as a person slumped out of the cell, a woman. She stepped forward on shaky legs and Diana rushed forward to catch her before she fell to the ground. The woman fell into her arms and groaned. She felt the curves pressing into her, even through the layer of armor. Diana shook her head. There was no way she would think about _that_.

She helped the woman to her feet, noticing the low-cut bodice and old-fashioned cloak and pendant fastened around her neck. When she inhaled, she caught a peculiar scent, almost like rose water, yet it made her pulse quicken. _No, still not going to think about that._ Dark hair framed a delicate face with high cheekbones. She was lovely, to say the least. The woman blinked and looked up at Diana. She gasped and took a step back. The woman's eyes glowed the iridescent red of a vampire. She did not seem too thrilled to see Diana either. Her brow furrowed.

"Uh, where is..." Her gaze traveled over Diana's form, probably trying to decide if she were in danger. "Who sent you here?"

Well, that was odd. "Um, who were you expecting?" Diana could not think of how else to address the woman.

"I was expecting someone like me, at least," she said.

"Oh." What to say… should she kill her? No, this woman had not threatened her in any way. "And what do you mean by like you?" _Yes, so full of tact_.

The woman sighed. "Can't you tell just by looking at me? A vampire."

"Oh, of course, yes." She swallowed. Some urge tugged at her deep within. Something primal. She mentally pushed the inner beast aside. "And why exactly were you locked away?"

"It's a long story." The woman smiled. "And I'm supposing I've been out for a while, which would make it even longer." She chuckled at her own joke. When Diana did not do anything, she took a deep breath. "But if you help me get back home I might be able to fill you in."

Escort the mysterious vampire to her home? She knew Isran would rather kill the woman in an instant, but something about the choice did not sit well with her. No, she seemed different from the other vampires. If Diana slaughtered her without cause, she would be no different than the Silver Hand, the damned pack of werewolf hunters. "I suppose I could do that," she said.

The woman's smile widened. "Thank you so much."

Diana nodded. "It's no problem," she said. "My name is Diana, by the way."

"Serana." The woman inclined her head slightly, as if in greeting. "Let's find the way out of here before anything else. I'm tired of breathing such dense air."

Diana was already beginning to doubt her motives for helping Serana, and fearing what Isran may do to her if he discovered the truth. What she saw next drove all other worries from her mind, however. Serana turned to look for the cave exit. An elder scroll hung from her back, resting neatly in a sling.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Happy holidays to everyone! No, I'm not trying to be PC by saying that, I just happen to celebrate more than one holiday in December. As my gift to you all, here is some leztastic fanfiction.

Chapter Three

"So, you're not going to tell me where you got the scroll?" Diana asked. Her and Serana made their way through the deep snowdrifts of northern Skyrim, walking westward. After fighting their way through the rest of the cavern, she and Serana had found their way above ground and figured out the direction to travel in.

"I already told you, it's complicated." Serana walked with her hood drawn up against the clouded daylight. As much as she had been thrilled to get outdoors again, she soon expressed her displeasure at the setting sun.

"And you said you'd explain a little if we got out of the cave." They descended a small incline, stepping carefully through the loose snow.

"That's right." Serana grabbed hold of a birch trunk to steady herself. "You did actually lead me out of the cave rather than drive a sword through my chest."

"And I'm showing you the way home."

"Well, I did give you directions."

Diana stopped and turned to look back up at Serana. In truth, she found the vampire's quips to be quite charming. It did not bode well for the state of her head and its remaining attached when she reported back to Isran. "So where do we go after the bottom of this hill?"

Serana shook a few loose hairs from her eyes and wrapped her arm more firmly around the birch trunk. "Well..." She scanned the skyline for a few moments. "That way?" She pointed north east.

Diana shrugged. "Well, I suppose you could get yourself home eventually, after walking the perimeter of the continent." She laughed at the glare Serana gave her.

"I- you- just do your job." She let go of the trunk and stepped forward. Her foot slipped on a loose patch of snow and she cried out, tumbling down the hill. Diana tried to catch her, but only succeeded in placing her body directly in front of hers and nearly being run over. They tumbled down the hill the rest of the way, laughing as they slid through the fresh powder. Somehow, Serana ended up on top of Diana when they reached the bottom. She stared down with her vampiric eyes, hands gripping Diana's shoulders. It took her a moment to realize that Serana did not meet her gaze, but stared hungrily at her neck.

Then, she blinked and picked herself off Diana, brushing snow from herself and avoiding her gaze. "Are you all right?" Diana asked.

She tugged her hood more firmly into place. She would not need it soon. "We should hurry home. I forgot how weak with hunger one gets after being sealed away for so long."

Diana nodded and took off in the correct direction. Serana followed silently; her relaxed demeanor had vanished. "So, how long were you sealed away?" The thought had puzzled Diana since she had disturbed Serana's resting place. The girl could have gone years without feeding.

"I have no idea," said Serana. "Who is Skyrim's High King?"

Diana laughed. "Well, that's up for debate at the moment."

She saw a corner of Serana's mouth turn up. "A war of succession, really? It's good to know the world hasn't grown dull. Who are the candidates?"

"Well, there's Ulfric Stormcloak, and then there's the empire, who support Jarl Elisif."

Serana frowned. "What empire?"

"Oh, you know, the one in Cyrodill." Diana desperately hoped she knew about the empire. If not, that would make Serana nearly as old as Talos himself. Maybe older.

"Cyrodill is the seat of an empire? When did that happen?"

Diana groaned and ran a hand through her short hair. "I think it's best you not know that." She glanced up at the stars. The sun had finally dipped below the horizon. "It's nighttime," she said.

Serana lowered her hood. "Do you need to make camp?"

Diana stopped in her tracks. That was right, humans made camp at night. They usually needed sleep, too. But not Diana. She was too restless to sleep. Being mortal, she still needed to attempt it, but every time she only ended up tossing and turning before falling into a shallow sleep at sun-up. "Well, we could stop for a bit," she said. "Just a small rest. I know you're probably eager to get home."

Serana shook her head. "Don't push yourself on my account," she said. "I doubt the situation at home will change tomorrow morning, and I refuse to carry you if you collapse from exhaustion."

Diana took the opening. "But you'll carry me otherwise?"

Serana smirked, her eyes shining in the growing darkness. "Perhaps, if you ask nicely."

"So then why do we need a camp?"

After listening to some more creative threats, Diana chose a relatively isolated area and threw down her camp supplies. They set up a fire, mostly for Diana's benefit, and settled themselves on an oil-treated blanket to keep the snow at bay. Now that they had stopped moving, Diana realized just how fatigued her body really was. She dug through her supply pack for her rations, stealing a look at Serana out of the corner of her eye. The vampire looked even more lovely by moonlight, especially with the glow of the fire casting a silhouette over her face. She looked away and pulled out the salted deer meat she had prepared for the journey. Looking at Serana like that did not help her position any. She tore a bite out of one of the meat strips, chewing aggressively. "So." Serana glanced over at her. "Why were you sealed away?"

The vampire shurgged. "That's complicated, too," she said.

"Another ancient vampire secret?" Diana tore another chunk out of meat. It did little to sate her hunger.

Serana laughed, though the sound held a note of sadness. "No. It's just family things, and I'd rather not talk about it right now."

"Why was the scroll sealed up with you?" Diana saw the topic bothered Serana, and it pained her to press the issue, but she really could not let an elder scroll fall into the wrong hands.

"You'd have to ask my mother that." Serana looked up at the sky. "If she's home, I'll introduce you two."

"Why wouldn't she be home?" If she kept on asking questions, perhaps she could get Serana to reveal something about the scroll.

"Her and my father had a... falling out before I was sealed away. I don't know what happened between them afterward." She sighed and picked up a stick, poking it into the center of the fire. "Let's just say it will be an interesting homecoming if my father's the one who stuck around."

Diana did not push further. Instead, she finished off the last of her meal and stored the extra supplies. She crossed her arms, hugging herself against the cold. "Well, we can probably get moving in a few hours," she said.

Serana glanced at her. "You're not even going to try to sleep?"

"What's the use?" Diana felt twitchy as it was. Every time she breathed in and caught Serana's scent, she wanted to inhale as if it were the only air to breath. It was ridiculous. She concentrated on the fire, instead, watching the flames eat slowly into the logs.

She heard Serana readjust herself on the blanket. "How long have you been affected?"

Diana's first impulse was to run, but Serana had not made any threat. She took a deep breath and tried to slow her racing pulse. "Several moon cycles, now," she said. "I've lost track of the exact number." They both looked up at the moons hanging in the sky. Diana almost never got a break from the light thanks to Tamriel's multiple moons.

"I suppose it makes sense that you're also afflicted by the daedra," she said. "Who else would spare me?"

"I would anyways," said Diana. As she studied Serana, she knew it was true. The woman was a kind soul, completely in control of her destiny, nothing like the other vampires she had fought. "How did you know?"

Serana grinned. "I can smell it on you," she said. "It lives in your blood." She inhaled. "It smells sweeter than a human's." Her brow furrowed for a moment and she closed her eyes in concentration.

"Serana?" Diana reached out to touch her.

"Don't." Her hand froze. Serana exhaled and opened her eyes. "I'm not entirely in control of myself, right now. I don't want to go into a frenzy and kill you, especially after I'm just starting to like you."

The comment made Diana blush. "Oh, I'm made of stronger stuff than that," she said.

"Still, I'd rather not put it to the test."

A thought occurred to Diana, an extremely stupid thought, but intriguing at the same time. "Would you be less of a danger if I let you feed on me?"

Serana looked up from the fire with wide eyes. "Make you a thrall? Never."

"The two cannot be separated?" Diana asked. She pulled off her gauntlets. "You can't feed without enslaving someone?"

"Well, I-" She paused as Diana began unbuckling her armor.

"If you can do it without harming me, I think it would be better than going crazy. I'd rather not kill you." She pulled off the arm guards first, then shrugged out of the chest piece. A gust blew over the campsite.

"I can do it," said Serana. "But we can find someone else. I don't want to- you're not-"

Diana laughed. "Do you think we'll find anyone along the northern shores?" She gestured around at the bleak landscape. "Maybe some trolls." She tugged at the chainmail shirt, growling as it caught in her hair. Finally, she managed to remove it, and sat with nothing but her tunic covering her chest. "You don't want to go feral," she said. "Unless you want me to kill you and take the scroll?"

Serana looked at her. She could almost feel the path her gaze followed. Their eyes met. She glanced down at her lips, down to her neck, her shoulder. "You would give me your blood," she said.

Diana nodded and turned away. "Just enough to survive the walk to your home." She tugged the collar of the shirt aside, revealing a pale shoulder."If you could keep it below the neckline? My comrades might not agree with this decision." She glanced over her shoulder. She could see the hunger in Serana's gaze. It made her shiver.

"You're pretty strange for a mortal," said Serana. Diana heard her moving closer, felt the heat of her body as she settled behind her. A hand settled on her shoulder, tugging the tunic aside. Another hand pressed into her back. The fire crackled. Flames wavered. The heat paled in comparison to the inferno her own body had become. "I'll be careful."

Diana swallowed. "I hope so." Impulsively, she raised a hand and covered the one on her shoulder. She squeezed Serana's fingers in a vice grip. "Do it."

Serana's lips grazed over her skin. The teeth came next, the front row pressing lightly. She almost moaned. Then, the points of Serana's fangs met her flesh. They sank in, her jaw clenching tightly around her shoulder as she sucked in. Diana cried out and gripped the hand harder. She felt like she might faint for a moment. Spots danced in front of her eyes. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears, a slowly rising roar. A growl rose in her throat, not an entirely human one. The beast within had taken note of the pain, of the bite marks now anchored into her flesh. It whispered to her, _mark her_.

The growl escaped. Serana released the flesh of her shoulder. "Is everything all right?" she asked. Diana still gripped her hand. By the gods, she had been an idiot.

She grabbed Serana's forearm and tugged the vampire over her shoulder, throwing her to the ground and straddling her waist, pinning her. She pressed her hands into Serana's shoulders. The vampire stared up at her, fangs still visible, and Diana's blood dripping from them. "Serana." _Mark her. Must mark her._ "Stop me."

"From doing what?" The vampire struggled, pushed against her, but Diana had her trapped.

The transformation fought to escape. She could feel it in her teeth. The incisors elongated first. "From marking you," she growled. The soft flesh. The rise and fall of her chest. The red-painted lips. Serana's hips anchored under her own. "I. Can't. Control. It." She fought for every syllable, for every scrap of humanity she retained. "Please..." Her jaw widened. She lowered her head, inhaling Serana's scent. She was going to do it. _Claim her._

A knee slipped between them and shoved with super-human strength, forcing the air from her lungs. Diana gasped as Serana pushed her off and pinned her down on the blanket. She swallowed in air, trying to replace all that had been lost as she pushed and bucked against her captor. but Serana held her tight. She was sure her bones might crack if the vampire pressed harder. Eventually, the need for survival quelled her animalistic urges. As her breathing returned to normal, the wolf within retreated. Serana's grip lessened on her when she ceased to struggle. "What in the name of oblivion was that?"

"I..." Diana blushed. She should have seen it coming. "You bit me."

"Because you told me to!"

"Yes! I know! This is entirely my fault!" She tried to sit up, but Serana pushed against her. "All right, you can let me up now. I have control again." Serana lessened the pressure on her shoulders, slowly pulling away. When Diana did not lunge at her, she pulled herself off completely and sat down on the blanket. Diana sat up and smoothed back her hair. "Thank you," she muttered.

Serana pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "You're welcome." They sat without saying anything, both staring into the dying fire. A cinder would pop occasionally and send bright sparks flying into the air. "You still haven't said what that was about." Serana's tone sounded flat. She missed the easygoing manner they had established.

"I'm a werewolf," said Diana. Serana nodded for her to continue. "Um." This was the embarrassing part. She remembered how upset Aela had been when she lost control like that the last time they were together. "When a werewolf, or rather, when the wolf inside us finds a suitable mate, we um, we-" She swallowed. "It's triggered by biting, usually. Though I didn't think you would cause it, seeing as you're not... not a werewolf, and we weren't, uh..."

Serana lifted her chin from her knees. "Are you saying that you were trying to take me as your mate?"

"Well, not me necessarily, just my other form, which is me, I guess- and it wasn't taking! It was... claiming." Diana knew the whole thing sounded pathetic. She would not be surprised if Serana stood up and left to find her own way home.

Instead, she laughed. "You really haven't lived for very long with daedric magic in your blood." Diana raised an eyebrow at her. "Your magic reacted to mine," she said. "I thought it might happen, I just did not know what you would do. If I hadn't been so hungry, I would have been more careful." She smiled at Diana. The gentle flicker of the embers danced over her cheek.

"So, it was just a reaction." She felt the knot in her stomach lessen.

Serana nodded. "More or less."

_She's giving me an out_, Diana thought. She looked around the camp and sighed. Her supplies had been scattered during the struggle. Various items lay half-buried in snow. She stood and brushed herself off. "Shall we get going then?" She asked. "I really don't see the point to either of us sitting around here anymore." She offered her hand to Serana. The vampire eyed it.

Diana felt a jolt travel through her arm when Serana took hold. She squeezed the hand gently before pulling herself up. "If you insist."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** What? New chapter? That's right. Sorry it took a million years, but I was busy being published. That's right! I'm PUBLISHED! I have coauthored the book _All The Pretty Things_ with Rae D Magdon, and it is available for download from amazon to any electronic device that supports kindle (any household computer, for example). If you like what I write, or just lesbian romances in general, it might be worth a try! Just make sure to include Rae's name or my pen name (Michelle Magly) in the search. And if you don't wanna read it, that's fine, too. Here's some fanfiction for you. Regular updates will resume, I promise!

Chapter Four

They walked along the northern coast for hours, tromping through the frozen tundra with no sign of coming anywhere near the place Serana described. Diana had asked her to take the lead once they hit the water's edge. The vampire would be able to follow the water until she started recognizing landmarks. Already she had paused and squinted several times at various ruins. Diana wanted to ask if she recognized any of them, but her words stuck in her throat every time she tried to strike up conversation. Serana seemed content with the silence, and would only glance over her shoulder every now and then to see how Diana fared. The look she tossed from underneath her cowl was enough to make her blush every time, though the bitter cold hid this reaction quite well.

_Stop this nonsense_. The small voice in her head was very critical of her newly-discovered feelings. _It's not like you can take her back to Jorrvaskr and introduce her to the pack._ There was also the growing panic that Isran would hunt her down with the help of the Silver Hand if she got any closer to Serana.

"There it is, up there to the north." Serana's voice broke through the quiet. "We used to keep a boat around here to get there and back."

Diana glanced up and saw an extremely run-down boat launch. The wooden dock had crumbled long ago and sunk partway into the ocean. They advanced slowly as they skirted the towering walls of an aldmeri fortress. Diana frowned as they approached the jetty. When she took her first creaking step onto the dock, she stopped, staring down at the boat as if it were a daedra.

She felt the warmth of Serana standing next to her and shivered. "Um... this is the part where people usually get in the boat," Serana teased. Diana still did not move. "You with me?" she asked, her voice softer.

Diana blinked and turned to look at Serana. She did not want to get on the boat, or rather her inner wolf did not want to give up Serana so quickly. "Yeah, let's go," she said. The vampire smiled softly at her and they climbed into the rickety little boat. Diana feared it may fall apart before they actually reached the castle and kept glancing nervously for leaks in the bottom. Serana laughed and she looked up at the woman.

"Relax, it's enchanted," she explained. "Watch."

Diana stopped fidgeting where she sat long enough to notice the boat was drifting away from the dock and into the dense fog of the north ocean. Her heart hammered for several seconds while they drifted blindly on the water. "Please tell me we're not going to be lost at sea," she said, her stomach already churning at the thought.

"We're passing through a barrier. We'll be home soon." Serana reached a hand down into the water and let her fingers trail through the icy liquid. The actions sent ripples across the otherwise still surface and Diana looked away. "Are you all right?"

"I hate boats," she answered. Something about the sea and its endless depths, not to mention unbearably high swells during storms, were enough to make Diana untrusting of anything to do with the ocean. She never got on a boat if she could help it.

Before Serana could say anymore, the boat nudged against the grainy surface of a shore, and Diana glanced behind herself to see a towering castle rising in the distance. She swallowed and scrambled out of the boat, craning her neck to get a good look at the massive structure. "This is where you live?" she asked.

Serana got out of the boat and stood next to her. "This is it. Home sweet... castle." The both of them chuckled softly. Diana glanced at the vampire and saw her forehead creased with worry.

"Why didn't you tell me it was so huge?" she asked, though she thought she might know the answer.

Serana shrugged and looked away. Diana thought she could see a faint hint of red on her cheeks. "I didn't want you to think I was one of those... I don't know. A woman who sits in her castle all day?"

Diana laughed and Serana's blush deepened. "I don't think I could ever get that impression from you," she said. But the vampire still looked somewhat saddened.

"It's just... coming home to a place like this, it's not me, if you can believe that."

Diana almost said, "So don't go there," but resisted. Keeping Serana around any longer was a bad idea for more reason than one. Instead, she shrugged and said, "Well, let's get it over with." She started up the path, but a hand on her arm made her stop. She glanced back at Serana and tried to ignore he sensation of her skin tingling under Serana's grip.

"So... before we go in there," she said.

Diana turned and faced Serana once again. "What is it?" she asked.

Serana looked away, showing off the delicate angle of her jaw and slim, smooth neck. "I wanted to thank you for getting me this far. Once we're inside, I'm not sure what will happen, but I think I need to go on my own for a while." She paused and met Diana's gaze with her own fiery eyes. "I... I'm sure some of your friends would not hesitate to kill everything in there." Fear made her voice tremble slightly. "I hope you can show some restraint," she said.

The way Serana emphasized 'restraint' made her recall their incident at camp. She nodded and placed a hand on Serana's shoulder. "You've given me no reason to distrust you thus far."

Serana smiled finally, a genuine smile. "Well, let's get this over with, then." Although she exhibited a casual demeanor, Diana could sense the tension building in Serana. Her shoulder muscles were coiled too tightly and her steps no longer had a natural rhythm as they approached the daunting castle. They walked up the main bridge, passing large stone gargoyles that leered down at them. The portcullis had been raised and a guard stood beside the massive wooden door. He put his hands on his hips when he saw then, sword ready to be drawn. Diana started to reach for her weapon, but Serana motioned for her to stop. She lowered her cowl and the guard gasped.

"After all these years," he muttered, his arms lowering away from his weapons. They walked past him, though the man watched Serana intently. "Lady Serana is back. Now isn't that something."

She ignored him and tugged the wooden door open. Diana took a deep breath and followed her into the dark castle. The door shut behind them with a clang. The front room they stood in looked worn down and decrepit. The tapestry under her feet was threadbare. She could hear the clang of plates and the chatter of dinner gossip in a dining hall up ahead, but a lone vampire stood guard in this room, glaring at them like they might be his next meal. "Who dares trespass here?" he asked. The high elf reached for his axe, but faltered when Serana stepped forward. She still had yet to utter a single word, but this man reacted similarly to the guard out front. _I've gone in way over my head._ Diana might have known this was the case if she had not been too busy fighting every urge to do illicit things to Serana. "By the gods... Serana, is that truly you?"

She nodded. "It is."

"Lord Harkon will be thrilled to hear of your return," he babbled. Diana glanced over at her, expecting to see some indication of royalty. _Way over my head._ He walked out of the entry room and onto a balcony. "My lord! Everyone!" he shouted. The chatter stopped. "Serana has returned!"

A hush fell over the dining hall. "I guess I'm expected," said Serana. She nodded in the direction of the balcony, and they walked out together, standing over a massive hall filled with men and women sitting at elegant wooden tables. Diana inhaled the scent of the hall, and immediately regretted it. The stench of human flesh and blood filled her nostrils and the wolf in her released a low growl from deep in her chest. Serana placed a hand on her shoulder. "Easy," she whispered.

Vampires. They were all vampires, and they stared up at Serana and Diana with such shocked expressions. One whispered, "I can't believe it."

Serana nudged her in the direction of the stairs and they walked down them together. Diana's heart threatened to burst. her eyes widened and she kept glancing from the vampires to the flesh on their tables and back to the vampires. "My long lost daughter returns!" said a man. He stood from the front table and walked around to the center of the dining hall. He looked like a lord in that he dressed the part. His flowing robes and neatly-fitted red cape outclassed anyone else's attire. His trimmed beard and slicked-back hair gave him an air of grace that was only offset by the menacing glow of his eyes. Serana's father, then, was Lord Harkon. "I trust you have my elder scroll?" he asked, meeting them in the center of the hall.

"After all these years, that's the first thing you ask me? Of course I have your scroll." Diana cast a sideways glance at Serana. She did not appear to be happy, though she had said she preferred to come home to her mother.

"Of course I'm delighted to see you." His voice dripped with disdain, and Diana understood why Serana might have preferred her mother. "Must I really say the words aloud?" Serana did not rise to the bait, so Harkon continued, "Ah, if only your traitor mother were here to see this reunion." He grinned and glanced at his fellow vampires. "I would have made her watch before putting her head through a spike." Harkon turned his attention to Diana. She had to fight hard not to let her wolf form overcome her. Every instinct screamed at her to tear this man's throat out, but she managed to show restraint, as Serana had requested. "Now tell me. Who is this stranger you have brought into my hall?"

"This is my savior," Serana said defiantly. Diana's eyes widened. _Oh no. I am not getting any further in the middle of this._ As much as she disliked Harkon at first glance, she could tell he was powerful and did not want to go up against him and a room full of vampires on her own, let alone be made into a target. "The one who freed me."

Harkon turned to Diana and offered her an insincere smile. "How like a dog to play fetch." Diana suppressed a growl, though Harkon only seemed amused at her anger. He studied her carefully, perhaps trying to size up the threat she posed. "For my daughters safe return you have my gratitude. Tell me your name."

"I am Diana," she answered truthfully. It would do no good to show distrust and fear right now. That would only translate as a display of weakness. "And you are?" Though she had already figured out who the vampire lord was, there was something equaling about demanding a person's name.

"I am Harkon lord of this court." He gestured to the people seated at the tables. "I'm sure my daughter has told you what we are."

Diana nodded and tried not to inhale the thick scent of blood. "You're vampires."

"Not just vampires. We are amongst the oldest, most powerful vampires in Skyrim. For centuries we had lived away from civilization and its cares." Diana doubted the truthfulness of that statement. "All of that changed when my wife stole away what I valued most." He looked back at Serana. Or was it the elder scroll?

"What happens now?" Diana asked. She very much wanted to leave, but did not want to leave Serana with Harkon. Though it was her decision to return to the castle and confront her father.

"You have done a great service, wolf, and now you must be rewarded. There is only one gift equal to the return of an elder scroll." He stepped forward. "I can smell Hircine's claim on you. It's a waste to see someone with such promise bound to a lesser Daedric Lord. I offer you my blood."

Everyone in the room watched her. She wondered if they would attack once she turned down the offer. She wondered if Serana would turn against her or defend her. Perhaps she would do nothing at all. "And if I refuse?" she asked, preparing herself for battle.

Harkon sneered. "Then you will be prey, like all mortals. I will spare your life this once and banish you from this hall."

_Well, that is certainly charitable of him_. Diana looked at Serana, but she would not meet her gaze. She looked back at Harkon who smiled at her knowingly. Something about the man's gaze suggested that he could read minds, or at the least was well-practiced in manipulation. "I refuse. I will not take your blood," she said.

"Then you are prey, mortal," said Harkon. Diana glanced back to Serana, but she had already begun walking away to join her fellow vampires at the table. "You will be hunted down like the dog you are, along with the rest of your kind. I banish you from this hall."

Diana watched Serana leave her. She wanted to say something, to tell her to get away from this insane man, but Serana never glanced back. A ball of light consumed her, and she felt her stomach pitch as she experienced weightlessness for a brief moment before slamming into the cold, hard ground of the shore outside the castle. Diana groaned and picked herself up off the tundra and looked back at the ancient structure. She had just returned Serana to her father, a clearly insane ancient vampire now in possession of an elder scroll. _I let a beautiful woman get in my head, and this is what happens._ Diana knew Isran would mock her upon her return, and possibly banish her from the Dawnguard for such a failure. She climbed into the boat with shaking limbs. Her head still reeled from being projected out of the castle. After a failure like this, she deserved no less than banishment. That was the thought that would haunt her all the way back to the Fort Dawnguard.


End file.
